Automatic train-stop.



H. A. HAMMELL.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29. 1913.

1,1 5 1 ,458. T Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

I V ait'ouuug H. A. HAMMELL.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29. 19I3.

I I 7 v EIMwwboz wi/bnmw AUTOMATIC TRAIN-STOP.

. Specification of Letters iatent.

Patented Aug. 24: 1915.

Application inedau ust 29, 1913. Serial No. 787,344.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, 'HENRY A. HAMMELL, a citizenof the UnitedStates, residing at New Brunswick, in the county'o'f Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Stops; and I do hereby declare the following'to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic train stops, and has for its primary object the provision of a mechanism of this nature which shall be of extremely simple construction, eflicient in operation, reliable and very practical.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide an automatic train stop wherein a signal or semaphore operated trip or obstacle is provided for engagement with mechanism carried by the locomotive for releasing air from a tank, whereby the airbrakes will be applied.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation, showing my improved stop mechanism as it appears in use, Fig. 2 is a side elevation, Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the means employed for opening and closing the exhaust port in the air tank, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the plane of line 44 in Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings by numerals 5 designates a portion of a signal tower which extends across the tracks, and 6 designates a semaphore of the common construction. A disk 7 is revoluble with the semaphore and has connected to ita pitman or connecting rod 8 which latter is also connected to a cross head 9 that moves vertically between the guides 10.

11 indicates a counterbalance weight secured to the disk 7 so as to offset the weight of the rod 8.

A depending rod or bar 12 is secured to a {TED STATES PATENT "OFFI -[j the cross head and carries upon its lower extremity a triangular block 13 having oppositely inclined faces 14: and 15.

The part of my mechanism carried bya locomotive includes a compressed air tank 16 which is positioned at any suitable place, such as on the top 17 of the cab. A pipe 18 leads from'this tank to the airbrakes and" when air is released from the tank, the brakes Wlll be applied so as to stop the train. The tank is supported in the U- shaped frames or yokes l9 and 20 which have the upper ends of their arms connected by the cross bars 21 and 22. A lever 23' is hingedly secured at one end to a block24 on,thetop of the tank 16 and extends longitudinally along the top of the tank. An upwardly extending arm 25 is formed upon the free end of the lever 23 and carries upon its upper extremity a triangular block 26 having inclined faces 27 and 28 adapted for engagement with the inclined faces 15 and 14: respectively of the block 13. A plug valve 29 is positioned upon the underside of the lever 23 intermediate its ends and is adapted to fit into and close the exhaust port 30 formed in the top of the tank 16. An expansive spiral spring 31 is interposed between the cross bar 22 and the lever 23, serving to hold the latter in such a position that the valve 29 tightly closes the port 30. Nhen the semaphore is swung downwardly to indicate danger, the rod 12 and the obstacle or block 13 carried thereby, are lowered into the path of the block 26, and should an engineer attempt to run by a signal thus set,

the corresponding faces of the two blocks will come in engagement with each other and the lever 23 will be raised so as to open the port 30 and allow air to escape from the tank 16, thus applying the airbrakes. To hold the lever 23 in its elevated position, after the blocks have become disengaged, I provide a hinged strut or brace 31 secured to the underside of the lever. When the free end of the lever is raised, this brace is swung into the position illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3 and its free end engages the stop plate 32 on the top of the tank, making it necessary to trip the strut before the port can be closed.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a very simple and practical automatic stop mechanism for locomotives, which will operate when a locomotive is moving in either direction.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it

will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In stop mechanism for locomotives, the combination withair braking apparatus including venting means of a support, a lever hinged to thesupport, spring means operatively associated with the lever whereby the lever holds the venting means against operation, obstacle engaging means carried by the lever to move the lever and allow the venting means to operate when engaged byran obstacle, a strut hinged to the lever and a stop plate on said support, said strut arranged to engage the stop plate when the lever is,

Copiesof this patent may be obtained for raised and support the lever in raised position.

astrut hinged to the lever, and normally I lying in a horizontal position between the tank and lever and a stop plate carried by the tank and arranged to engage the strut when the lever is moved away from the tank whereby the lever is held in open position away from the tank, and the port opened.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

I I HENRY A. HAMMELL. Witnesses: I

CHARLES, W. SEDAM,- SARAH J HAMMELL.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 'of Patents.

Washington, G. 

